HoS Highlights: Leading into the New Year

By Ryan Persaud / January 19, 2024 / Head of School Highlights

Dear VERSO Community,

For those whom I have not yet seen, a very Happy New Year to you!

Throughout the lead-up to the winter break, our graduating class has been diligently submitting university applications worldwide. Although we won't see the majority of decisions until late spring, we already have successful early admissions to celebrate. Additionally, many schools have extended offers to our students through our Concourse Global direct admissions platform.

This is a pivotal moment for VERSO, as we begin to see the rewarding outcomes of our efforts, with universities showing keen interest in students who are adventurous in learning, passionate about connection, motivated to contribute, and ready for the next phase of their lives.

Our learners have applied to diverse fields, including art and design, music, psychology, marine biology, and business. We are immensely proud of the Class of 2024, who are embarking on paths towards higher education and becoming agents of change.

When you cross paths with a senior on campus, take a moment to acknowledge this milestone in their educational journey. As they prepare to step into the broader world, they carry with them the ethos of VERSO. No matter where their future leads, they remain an integral part of the VERSO legacy. We look forward to their graduation, and their transition to our first group of VERSO Alumni!

As of 19 January, our Class of 2024 have received offers in the following universities:

This past Wednesday, I hosted our 2nd HoS coffee morning where I continued to share my vision for VERSO. You can find the link to this presentation here. I took the opportunity to share my definition of a Future-Ready learner, as well as the core learning elements which make VERSO unique. Additionally, I shared some more details about the WASC process, in which the visiting committee will be arriving in May 2024 for the self study visit. I also spoke about the schoolwide action plan and some of the strategic elements that are part of the plan. As part of the process of developing the schoolwide action plan, we will be looking for parent feedback on the direction of the school. Please be on the lookout for invitations to participate. During our WASC committee visit in May, there will be an opportunity to provide feedback on the school as well.

The VERSO HACK 2024 will be taking place on January 27 (Pre-HACK Day) and 3-4 February (HACK Days). This year's theme is Emerging Technologies. The event is surely going to be our biggest and best yet! We already have over 100 participants signed up. Tickets are still available to sign your children (aged 13-18) up to participate. The Pre-HACK Day is an opportunity for all parents from VERSO to participate. Please see details below for an impressive line up of panelists and guest speakers. The final round of pitching and presentations will be open to the public on Sunday 4 February at 1:30pm. We invite you to attend and cheer on the hackers!

Lastly, our next Open House will be taking place on Wednesday, 14 February. This is yet another chance to highlight our beautiful campus to potential families. We will be looking for parent and student volunteers to once again assist us with promoting VERSO.